Wrong! You can’t afford to miss it because OWAA’s annual conference is the best place to make money in both the short and long run. OWAA conferences offer the opportunity to spend a little and make a big return on your investment.

Want to make more money as a freelancer? Learn how to stand out and build stronger, more profitable relationships with editors and PR reps during “Standing Out: Professionalism Makes a Difference.” Then join Kirk Deeter from Field & Stream, Fly Talk Blog and Angling Trade Magazine for “Multimedia Maestros: why is pays to be able to do it all.”

Learn it, try it, use it: hands-on workshops covering photography, video editing, interviewing and product reviews give you the skills and then let you try them on the spot. Making sessions more interactive has been a focus in this year’s program and you will see the results. Don’t just hear the words, try the techniques and get immediate feedback to walk away ready to do it on your own!

Thought you had award-quality work but struggled to enter the EIC contest? Not quite sure what the letters FTP mean in an OU cover call? Join OWAA editor, Ashley Schroeder, as she walks you through some of the computer processes and programs that can help you get the most out of your OWAA membership!

Want to make money from video and TV? Learn how to edit video with Bugle Magazine’s Paul Queneau in his iMovie video editing workshop. Mac users are welcome to bring a computer and work along! Or get your face on the big screen when The Sportman Channel’s Michelle Scheuermann and outdoor TV host Max Rowe tell you “How to Start Your Own TV Show.”

Don’t just hear the discussion, be the discussion at our roundtable luncheon! Find the table most interesting to you and enjoy some lively conversation with your meal. Topic tables ranging from invasive species, to book publishing, to where the Gulf is now, will be hosted by moderators and experts. Make the connections that really matter and join a table.

Test the latest gear and meet the pro-staffs. Outdoor gear doesn’t belong on a table! Breakout day is now “Demo Day” as we encourage all of our gear manufacturers to get you using the newest technology and products. See how it works and feels and maybe even take a product review back to part 2 of Jill Adler’s product review workshop for feedback!

Pull some triggers. Smith & Wesson and Browning are bringing pistols, shotguns and rifles to the Shooting Event Monday morning. And join some new faces at OWAA’s shooting day including Vanguard with their gun rests and spotting scopes. You can also support youth in the outdoors with coverage of our youth archery demos or local Boy Scout demonstrations.

News opportunities abound. Thinking national? Discuss lead shot or the local food movement. Thinking local? Learn more about the record Spider Bull Elk, how Utah wildlife agencies balance their budget or western wolf management. Join any or all of these panels as the experts weigh in and help you write your next article!

“Ask the Editors.” Hear what these editors are looking for in their submissions and get the inside edge. And bring your writing samples, photo portfolios and story ideas for our meet and greet to follow. Editors from The Drake, Field & Stream, Trout and Bugle Magazine are are scheduled to attend, with more expected. Broaden your sales market with these publications!

Ever seen a T-Rex up close? Rafted the Colorado River? Skied in July? Story ideas and adventures are easy to come by in the state of Utah! See all of the pre- and post-conference trip opportunities available in conjunction with our conference: http://owaa.org/2011conference/pre-and-post-conference-trips/. We have something for everybody!

Don’t miss the opportunity to meet new friends, have fun in the outdoors and make money doing it!